Jake broke off as his vision swam again, he could feel his muscles beginning to relax and he knew he was maybe seconds from falling asleep. "Don't kill them" was the last thing he said before unconsciousness took him.
CHAPTER 12
When Jake next awoke next he again found Neytiri leaning over him. Slowly Jake sat up, his head didn't pound this time and he found the room only spun a little when he spoke. "How………how long have I been asleep?" Neytiri spoke as she handed him a water skin. "3 days." Jake coughed slightly in surprise as he drank. "3 days?!" Neytiri nodded. "Yes. I was beginning to worry." Jake sighed and closed his eyes but opened them again as he remembered his old team. "what about the others? The team that brought me here, I remember Eytukan was going to kill them." Neytiri nodded, pushed him back onto his back. "yes. They're fine. You can see them after you've rested." But Jake sat back up. "no Neytiri we don't have the time. I need to see them now." Neytiri growled and made to push Jake back down. But Jake grabbed her wrist. Neytiri had been about the speak when she was the look in Jake's eyes. She knew that look well it told her there was no reason arguing, he wouldn't change his mind. Neytiri sighed and allowed Jake to stand.
Leading him from her alcove Neytiri lead Jake down a dozen paths to the bottom of the hometree. One at the base they turned left and followed as dimly lit path that lead to a large gap in the roots. Passing through the gap Jake and Neytiri began a walk downward through a small tunnel that seemed to lead under the hometree. After maybe 200 feet the download sloped tunnel leveled out and revealed another root archway. 2 guards with spears, and bows stood on either side of the archway. Passing by the guards Jake found him and Neytiri standing in a large dimly lit underground cavern. The cavern itself wasn't huge maybe 9 feet across and 20 feet deep. As Jake's eyes adjusted to the darkness he found 4 na'vi sitting in the cavern. As he stood there one of them looked up and then jumped to it's feet shouting "lieutenant on deck." As the other na'vi sprung to their feet Jake sighed and approached the na'vi who had spoke. He knew who it was. Only one person did that. "James, what did I say I was going to do the next time you did that?"
James looked at him for a moment before speaking. "punch me." Jake smiled. "yeah. But under the circumstances I think I'll hold off." For a long moment Jake and James looked at each other, then James smiled and Jake chuckled. "it's good to see you again James." James nodded. "good to see you too." Nodding to the other Jake smiled. "Eric, tom, Alice. Nice of you to join me on Pandora." In turn they nodded but none of them spoke. James spoke. "well Jake what now. After you saved us they brought us down here. I'm not too sure what they're going to be doing with us now." Jake shook his head. 'they wont be doing anything. Under their laws only I can punish you." James nodded. "ok. I guess that's fair." Jake nodded. "yeah it's fair. Now get up and come with me." Turning around Jake found that Eytukan had joined them in the cavern. He now stood behind Neytiri, a stern look on his face. "you speak to them as though they are your friends Jakesully. Need I remind you that they attacked you and stole you away from your home here." Jake shook his head. "no you don't need to remind me Eytukan. These people are my friends."
Eytukan shook his head. "friend do not steal their friends away from their homes jakesully." Jake nodded. "they didn't know it was me. Quaritch told them some lie that made them think I was impersonating the real jakesully. They were just following orders." Eytukan sighed and shook his head. "a person who follows orders blindly is more weapon that living creature. And they cannot leave this cavern until they have been punished." Jake smiled. "I think I know a good punishment." Turning around Jake looked at his former team. "since I technically saved your life that mean you owe me a life debt. You'll do what I say, when I say and how I say. Understood?" 4 answers of "yes." Met his ears. Smiling Jake turned back to Eytukan shook his head and closed his eyes. "you're an odd na'vi Jakesully. But I'll trust your judgment for now." Jake noted the 'for now' part as he lead his team up out of the cavern and out into the padorain forest. as they left the tunnel Jake watched neytiri and Eytukan turn and make their way back up into the hometree.
Turning to his team Jake spoke. "ok. So Quaritch told you to kidnap me. Right?" his team nodded. Jake nodded to himself. "and he told you that I had knowledge of everything they were doing. right?" again they nodded. Jake leaned back so his back rested against the bark of the hometree. What was Quaritch up to? Sighing Jake closed his eyes. "ok. Here's what your going to do. Eric, tom go back to your ship and get field binoculars with a built in video camera. Go back to the base and make a recording of everything they're doing. don't get caught. Then come back to the ship. Ok?" Eric and tom nodded and left vanishing into the forest like ghosts. "James take me to the ship. Then your going to fill me in on everything that happened. how Quaritch contacted you, how you got here, and everything you can remember about what was going on in the base." James nodded led the way to the ship witch had been cleverly hidden using broken branches of nearby trees to camouflage it and make it unnoticeable from the surrounding brush. Once inside James told Jake everything. As the story ended Eric and tom reappeared grim looks plastered on both their faces.
Jake watched as Eric uploaded the video into the ship's computers. A moment later a 3d video popped up holopad of what Eric and tom had seen. As the video played through Jake felt his heart begin to beat faster and faster. Quaritch was unloading more Samsons than ever. When he had first arrived on Pandora there had been 45 Samsons on the base. Now according to the video there were 69 Samsons. All of which were armed with weapons and ready for an assault. As the video ended Jake sighed and closed his eyes. "Quaritch is preparing for an assault." No one else spoke. There was no need for argument. They all knew it was true. Quaritch had failed to kill Jake, so now he was just going to wipe out the na'vi race. It was Eric who broke the silence. "what do we do Jake?" Jake shrugged. "I don't know. We cant fight them head on. To many na'vi would die and we wouldn't do enough damage." Another long pause then, "we don't have to fight them head on." Jake looked to Eric who had spoke. Eric shrugged and continued. "to get here they have to pass through those floating mountains right?" Jake nodded, a plan was beginning to form in his mind.
THE NEXT MRONING
JAKE'S POV
The next morning Jake found himself seating in a circle with Eytukan on his left, Neytiri sitting across from him and Mo'at sitting on his right. Eytukan spoke. "you think this Quaritch is going to attack us?" Jake shook his head. "I don't think I know. It's how people like him react to being beaten." Eytukan stood up and looked out over the forests. "how do you expect us to win in a fight against him and his weapons? We're no match for them." Jake shook his head again. "you don't have to be. I have a plan." Turning continued. "with your permission Eytukan my team and I will begin laying traps for Quaritch's men." Eytukan looked at him for a moment before speaking. "why do you need my permission?" Jake sighed. They had come to the more controversial part of his plan. Sighing Jake continued. "I need you permission because I would like to set up demo charges on several thundering rocks (Hallelujah Mountains)." Jake grimaced as Eytukan inhaled sharply after a very long pause Eytukan spoke. "do you know what you're asking me to allow you to do?" Jake nodded. "yes. But you have to understand. This is the best chance we have of disabling as many enemy Samsons as possible. I can't say it's work 100% but it's come damn close." Eytukan sighed and was silent for a long time. And when he did speak next Jake noted how old he sounded.
"very well jakesully. You have my permission. But understand if this fails. I'll hold you personally responsible. Understand?" Jake nodded and stood up. "I understand Eytukan. And don't worry my team is the best at what they do, and what they do isn't nice. But there are thing you and the na'vi can do to help us." Eytukan looked to him and nodded. "name it." Jake smiled. "we need you to send runners to the other clans. If we want to have even the slightest chance of winning this fight we're going to need as many warriors as possible. Do you think you could convince the clan leaders to join us?" Eytukan was silent for a long time and instead Mo'at spoke. "it could be done. But it would be rare to gain all the clans' loyalties. They'd need a strong leader to rally under. Someone who is fearless and unwilling to compromise in their ideals." Jake nodded to Eytukan who was still silent. "that's Eytukan." But Eytukan shook his head and turned to Jake. "no, jakesully. My time of ruling is growing old. I'm tired. I've lead my people for so long. But now it is time to pass that right to another." Jake nodded. "I understand. Who will you pass it to?" Eytukan looked at him for a moment and then offered up a rare chuckle. "if you must ask jakesully, perhaps you're not as smart as we had hoped."
It took Jake a few second to realize what Eytukan was saying. But when he did understand Jake shook his head. "no Eytukan no. I'll not take your place. I'm not fit, I'm not one of your people." Eytukan shook his head. "you're more one of us than you know jakesully. You've protected our people, learned our ways, taught us how the sky people think and act, even now in the face of such a monstrous task you side with us. You're more on of us than any other na'vi I've ever met. And it is for this reason I wish for you to be the clan head." Jake opened his mouth to protest again but Mo'at cut him off. "jakesully, many na'vi would die for this honor do you wish to show our clan disrespect by refusing such a request?" Jake sighed and shook his head. "no. I mean no disrespect. I accept." Eytukan smiled and put his hand on Jake's shoulder. "then it shall be done. Tonight I'll share my blood with yours and then you shall be made clan head for all to know. Go now, prepare for what must be done." Jake nodded and left Neytiri following at his side. As they left the council room Jake found James leaning against as wall waiting for him. As Jake neared him he nodded. "James smiled and pulled out the walky-talky clipped to his belt. "Eric, tell tom to start setting up the explosives, also tell Alice to start scouting sniping positions and hide out locations. I'll be there shortly."
Jake didn't see James leave but he knew he had. The area around the council room seemed strangely quite to him. Aside from the sounds of himself and Neytiri walking not a single noise disturbed the air. As they walked down the path leading away from the room Jake yawned. He was very tired, almost to the point of going cross eyed. He had spent the night before, helping his team take inventory, and diagnostics of every bit of equipment on their ship. Jake had just finished yawning for the 9th time when Neytiri spoke. "perhaps sleep would be best. A tired leader is an unfocused leader." Normally he would have argued but this time he didn't have the energy. He allowed himself to be steered in the direction of their hammocks and a few minutes later Jake was getting ready to climb into his hammock. He had been about to climb in when Neytiri who was already in her hammock spoke. "Jake……father told me you wish to have me as your mate." Jake nodded and Neytiri looked at the ground before continuing to speak. "well……. It is customary for mates to sleep in the same hammock. Of course you don't have to just yet; but………" Neytiri's voice trailed off as Jake smiled sleepily at her. "Neytiri I'd like nothing more than to sleep next to you right now." Neytiri felt her heart beat faster as Jake lay down next to her. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer to his body sending small shivers down her spine. Smiling Neytiri whispered. "I see you Jake." After a moment the half asleep reply of "I see you Neytiri." Met her ears.
JAKE'S DREAM
He was floating. All around him white light and nothingness stretched seeming to go on forever. For a long time Jake twisted and turned in the air looking for something anything. He wasn't sure what he was looking for but he knew that he would know it when he saw it. He had just done his 7th 360 spin when he felt himself being pulled down and a moment later landed on the 'ground' with a loud thud. Groaning Jake rolled onto his back. in the brief moment he had been unable to see anything the world around him had changed. He lay near a large lake. All around him trees and plants bloomed and teamed with life. But as he lay there he noticed something, some of the plants didn't fit. While dozens of the plants around him were from Pandora Jake could easily make out a handful of plats from earth. Large yellow sunflowers bloomed not far from him. Their yellow pedals a stark contrast to the varying shades of blue that surrounded them. "where the hell am I?" he was speaking more to himself than anyone else. So when a voice answered him Jake almost leapt out of his skin. As it was he leapt to his feet and prepared for an attack. "you're where ever I want you to be." Spinning around Jake had been about to speak but found himself unable to do so when he saw who had spoken.
Long curly brown hair, slightly tan skin, and brilliantly green eyes. Jake found himself unable to speak as he starred into the face of his mother. His very human mother.
AN: Hope you all enjoyed it. I know I'm such a jerk for leaving you with such a huge cliffhanger.
SO HAPPY!!! 100 WATCHERS!!!!!! I'D LIKE TO THANK ALICE458 FOR BEING MY 100TH WATCHER. *GIVES HUG* THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!